How to Make Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

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Do you want to have a
greener kitchen? Go green by using a homemade dishwasher detergent. From
reducing exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, to saving money, there are
many great reasons to choose homemade instead of store-bought versions of this
essential household item.

A Great Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

We reached out to the Green Cleaning
Coach, Leslie Reichert, for a
simple, five-ingredient detergent recipe you can make at home:

1 cup table salt

1 cup baking
soda

1 cup oxygen
bleach

10 drops
essential oil (your choice of scent)

1 tbsp. lemon
juice concentrate

Mix the first four ingredients
together and put one tablespoon in the soap dispensing area of your dishwasher.
Then, add one tablespoon of lemon juice concentrate, and you’re ready to begin
washing.

3 Tips for Using the Homemade Detergent

1. You do not need to add a
lot of this special dishwasher soap to get good results, says Reichert. Only 1
tablespoon will do the trick.

2. Do not add the lemon
juice concentrate until the very end. If you mix it in with the other
ingredients, your soap will begin to bubble and foam.

3. This soap does not work
very well if you do not wash the dishes right after you add it. Do not put your
dishwasher on delay. Just add the soap, top off with lemon juice, and begin
washing immediately.

A Breakdown of Costs

Is it really worth it to try
this recipe? Keep in mind that one homemade recipe can wash many loads of
dishes. So how much will it cost you to make this homemade dish soap?

1 cup (8 ounces) of table
salt will cost you around $1.50. One cup of baking soda is less than 50 cents. A
cup of oxygen bleach will cost just over $2.00. A 32-ounce bottle of lemon
juice concentrate is around $3.00 (this contains about 64 tablespoons). Last
but not least, a bottle of essential oil, such as lavender, will cost you around
$7.00, which will last you many, many batches of detergent. You can pick
whatever scent you like best.

So to make your own soap,
you will only need to spend between $12-14. This is a great price for a green
cleaning product that can be used for many loads of dirty dishes.

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

Not everyone has the same
exact dishwasher, so it may take a little experimenting to develop the perfect
recipe for your home. If you have hard water in your home, for example, you may
need to add more salt. Is food still sticking to your dishes? Use kosher or sea
salt instead of table salt to improve your homemade recipe’s strength.

You cannot go wrong with
homemade dish soap. Relying less on artificial chemicals is good news for your
health, your family’s health, and the environment’s health. Try this safe
homemade recipe by the Green Cleaning Coach today, and begin your journey towards a cleaner, greener kitchen.